Mass Expulsion of Afghan Migrants by Pakistan; UN Warns of Escalating Humanitarian Crisis

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that Pakistan has expelled around 120,000 Afghan migrants from its territory since the beginning of April. This action comes as Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than 22 million people in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

Arafat Jamal, head of the UNHCR office in Afghanistan, who recently visited the migrant return center in the Torkham area, described the returnees as “exhausted, anxious, and uncertain about their future.” According to him, vulnerable groups—especially women and girls—face additional challenges, as their access to education, livelihood opportunities, and even freedom of movement may be severely restricted in Afghanistan.

Jamal emphasized that the UNHCR is currently providing emergency assistance, including cash support, to returnees so they can meet basic needs such as food and medicine. However, he warned that severe budget cuts to the agency are hindering its ability to respond to urgent needs. He called for immediate international support in the coming days and weeks to prevent a worsening of the crisis.

Previously, Pakistan had given all Afghan migrants without legal residency—and even those holding Afghan citizenship cards—until the end of March 2024 to voluntarily leave the country. After this deadline passed, Pakistani authorities began the forced deportation of migrants in early April, returning thousands across the border to Afghanistan every day.